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H. W. BENHAM, Deod.

J. A. BEALL G. W. SLOANE, Exeeutors.

DEVICE FOR PULLING 0N BOOTS.

No. 335,415. Patented Feb. 2; 1886.

N PETERS, Phmo-umo n her, Washinglon, D. c.

FFIcE.

ATENT JOHN A. BEALL, OF NEYV YORK, AND CHARLES XV. SLOANE, OF SANDS POINT, N. Y., (EXECUTORS OF HENRY WV. BENIIAM, DECEASED,) ASSIGN- ORS TO HENRY H. BENHAM, OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY.-

DEVICE FOR PULLING ON BOOTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 335,415, dated February 2, 1886.

Application filed September 1.), I895.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that HENRY W. BENHAM, deceased, and late of the city, county, and State of New York, did during his lifetime invent an Implement or Device for Pulling on Boots; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, reference being had to accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

Previous to the invention of the deceased, HENRY \V. BENHAM, and so far as our knowledge extends, about the only appliances used for the purpose of assisting in putting on a pair of boots were the old-fashioned J -shaped 1 contrivances comprising a rod or shank with a hook at one extremity for engagement with the boot-strap, and a cross-bar or transverselyarranged handle at the other extremity to be grasped and pulled by the fingers of the user, as well understood. To such a contrivance there existed several objections, principal among which was the great amount of space or room that had to be afforded them in handbags, valises, 8:0. This objection was partic- 2 ularly noticeable to travelers, army officers, and others who required, as it were, every inch of room in their traveling-bags, &c., for other and more necessary articles.

It was the principal object of the late HENRY 3o WV. BENHAM to produce a device to aid in pulling on boots which,while as effective in operation as that theretofore in use, could be made small in size, and which would require but little space in packing, &c.

To this end and object the said HENRY \V. BENHAM invented an implement for the purpose stated, which will be hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims of this application.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a device embodying the said invention of HENRY W. BENHAM; and Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the said device and a portion of a boot-leg, with the strap of which the device 45 or hand-piece is shown engaged and in condition for use.

In both figures the same parts will be found designated by the same letters of reference,and for convenience of description the device will Serial No. 177,585. (No world.)

be hereinafter sometimes called a handpiece.

A is the hand-piece, which is peculiarly bent and shaped. As shown, it is of small dimensions and formed of a single piece. At one end or side is a curved or hook-shaped portion, a,which adjoins one end ofadeprcssed M straight portion, 0. At the other end of the hand-piece A is a curved or rounded portion,

0, that connects with the other end of the depressed bar b, and from this rounded portion 0 extends toward the hook at a flattened shanklike part or handle, (2. The depressed bar 1), arranged centrally of the hand-piece A, receives the strap of the boot, and by the shoulders m m, formed on each side thereof, the strap is kept in place in the line of draft. By making the bar 1) straight, the edges of the loop or strap of the boot are kept from wrinkling or rumpling, as is the case where a hook or curved bar is used.

It will be observed from the drawings that the free end of the handle-like part d extends to and beneath the point of the hook a, and that between these members there is a space or opening. Through this opening or passageway the loop of the boot-leg passes to and from the bar 2).

Having sufficiently described a construction of device embodying the invention of the said HENRY W. BENHAM, we will now proceed to more fully explain the operation thereof.

The book a is passed through the loop or strap 8 of the boot, and the device A turned around until the strap settles on the bar b, and the handle part at is uppermost, as illustrated in the drawings. Ofcou rse two of these handpieces are supposed to be used, one in each of these two straps, always provided at opposite sides ofthe boot-leg. Vhen two of these handpieces have been passed through the two loops in the manner above described, the boot is ready to be pulled on. The user will grasp the flattened and broadened handle portions (1 and exert the requisite force to pull the boot onto his foot and leg. The efi'ect of the initial pull will be to bend back the free end of the handle-like portion (which is preferably made with a capacity to be pulled upward, and upon releasement of the pull or force to automatically spring back to its first position) until its upper surface comes in contact with the point of the hook a, (see dotted lines, Fig. 2,) against which it then takes a firm bearing during the remainder of the operation required to pull on the boot. After the pulling on of the boot shall have been effected by means of these hand-pieces A, they are of course detached from the straps, which detachment or disengagement may be accomplished by simply reversing the movements of the hand-pieces,.

which were necessary to effect their engagement with the boot-straps. Perhaps the easiest and best way to enter the bar 1) within the strap is to hold the hand-piece upside down with the flattened hand portion resting on top of the strap, then draw the device along transversely to the strap,with the point of the hook approaching the loop. When the hook reaches the strap, its point enters readily between the two plies of the same, and the bend or fold of the strap passes through the opening between the point of the hook and the free end of the handle 01. The hand-piece is now given a halftur'n, and the bar b brought lowermost and between the folds of the strap, as illustrated.

To remove the device it is merely necessary to reverse the movement of the hand-piece, when the book will pass out of the loop, and the bend or fold of the strap out through the opening between the point of the hook and the movable end of the handle portion.

It will be seen that by this invention is provided a simple, cheap, and efficient implement for the purpose of a boot-pull, and one that is more compactly made, and more portable than those made and used prior to this invention.

Having now so fully explained the invention of the late HENRY W. BENHAM, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A boot-pull or implement for pulling on boots, composed of a single piece, and having a severance or opening through which the strap of the boot may be passed, and also a depression, in which the said strap may be seated during the operation of the pulling on the boot, all substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

2. An implement for pulling on boots, composed of a single piece formed with a severance through which the boot-strap may be passed, and having the portion d made yielding under the strain applied in the operation of pulling on the boot, and arranged to underlie the end of the rigid hook portion a, and to come to a bearing against the latter when subjected to such strain, all as hereinbefore set forth.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 22d day of September, 1884.

J. A. BEALL, CHAS. W. SLOANE, Executors of Henry W. Benham, deceased.

Witnesses as to J. A. Real], Executor:

HENRY MEROKLE, Enw. H. RIRPON. Witnesses as to Charles W. Sloane, Execui301:

DUDLEY R. HORTON,

R. H. TYLER. 

